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Vangelor Ulf
IC Information Vangelor Ulf is a young Sy'Tel'Quessir bard, raised in a remote and hidden forest enclave, and later educated at he House of the Harp in Silverymoon. Returned to the environs of Cormanthor, he strives to restore bardcraft to the high repute which it held in ancient days amongst the numerous elven factions of the forest. Current Age: 97 Attitude: Mercurial of mood, Vangelor is at heart an extremely reserved and thoughtful person, slow to judgement. Deeply versed in the lore of his own tribal people, he has acquired an education in history and bardcraft, and attempts to look at the larger picture. In spite of this, his lack of mature judgement and restless nature can occasionally prompt him to act without sufficient regard for consequences, although such actions are far more likely to be merely rash or foolish, rather than prompted by malice or spite. Appearance: Vangelor is a young elf with light brown skin intricately tattooed with delicate designs in an elegant but primitive style with a repeating motif of tree and wolf. To those versed in Sy'Tel'Quessir culture and able to read them, these profess a lineage of almost mythic antiquity. His shoulder-length hair seems to be dyed in many shades of leaf green, but closer inspection reveals this to be its actual color. His eyes are wary, almost feral, and have an unusual amber color. Lithe and fit, Vangelor is shorter than most male elves, with the more sturdy build typical of his people. Appearance, Part II (Equipment worn): Given the chance, Vangelor wears little more than a sleek otterskin breechclout to keep briars from where they do not belong and green-enamelled armbands wrought of copper with simple yet elegant vine motifs in a timeless elven style. More often, he wears plain hunting attire of supple leather in neutral hues, tailored to his build. He favors both boots and a cloak of elvenkind, allowing him to move about more discreetly. When expecting danger, he will with some reluctance equip himself with a coat of elven chainmail, its fine mithral links tinted green, and its leather fittings an understated shade of treebark-brown. He carries a longbow of shadowtop-wood, an enchanted mithral longsword from the arsenal of Evereska, and an elven buckler that shimmers with a soft light. He is seldom if ever encountered without his birdpipes, the signature instrument of wild-elf musicians, and also travels with a small woodharp of ancient but excellent manufacture. Diety Worshipped: Corellon Larethian (as well as the Seldarine, Eilistraee, Wolf, Tribal Demigods) As a Sy'Tel'Quessir, Vangelor was raised to give foremost reverence to the Leaflord, Rillifane Ralethil. However, as years have passed away from his homeland, he has come to place more emphasis upon his practice of Bardcraft, and on his mission to mend the breach between his people and other Elven races. Consequently, Vangelor now offers his deepest reverence to Corellon in his role as god of music, poetry and bardic arts, as well as Lord of All Elves. Vangelor is still careful in his observances to the Leaflord and others of the Seldarine, reveres Eilistraee as a goddess of song and redemption, and holds a special fondness for his totem power, Wolf, as well as maintaining the customary observances of his tribe's particular demigods and ancestral cult. The Larethian's Dogma: The People are sculptors and wardens of magic's endless mysteries. Bring forth the beauty that envelops and lets the spirit gambol unfettered. Seek out new experiences and new ways. Ward against those that would destroy what they cannot create. Commune with the natural and mystical world. Be ever vigilant against the return of the banished darkness and be strong in heart against the wiles and snares of the Spider Queen. Common Statistics Race: Sy'Tel'Quessir (Wild Elf) Height: 5' 4" Weight: 136 lbs Skin Tone: eggshell brown Skin Texture: smooth and youthful Eyes: amber Hair: Vangelor's hair is a subtle blend of many organic shades of green, the effect of his birth within the area of an ancient and faltering near-''mythal''. Left Handed or Right Handed: right-handed Favored Weapons: longbow, longsword Accent: Elven, educated, but sylvan. In the Elven speech, Vangelor's dialect includes many usages that are archaic even by elven standards, spoken with the fluid enunciation and "singing" vowels that typify green-elf speech and make it the superlative dialect for elven song. His Common and Chondothan are more contemporary and colloquial, but spoken with a soft elven accent. Commonly spoken languages: Elven, Chondothan, Sylvan Recognizable Features: Vangelor's green hair looks dyed but isn't. He is tattooed intricately and elegantly on arms, legs, torso and back. Relatives: Valerieagh Ulf (mother) - loremaster (bard)/druid; Bhaelor Ulf (father) - clan speaker, ranger/druid/divine champion of Rillifane; six older full and half-siblings, four sisters and two brothers, in order of seniority: Larannah Ulf (f) - master potter, glassblower and metalsmith, sorcerer/cleric of the Earth-Mother (Chauntea); Filfarin Snow-Owl (m) - bowyer, carpenter and ranger; Saksia Ulf (f) - tattooist, cleric of Ulf Two-Spirit (tribal demigod/ancestor); Maureska Stagmoon (f) - midwife, herbalist, druid; Vassaran Ulf (m) - ranger, tanner, leathercrafter; Yngarrah Ulf (f) - brewer, vintner, sorcerer/fighter. Annhadh Snow-Owl (a third cousin twice removed) - cleric of Sehanine Moonbow/sorceress, Vangelor's betrothed. 'Character History:' The trees remember. Long after the world was sundered to raise Evermeet from the western seas, and the kingdom of Cormanthyr lay desolate, the haunt of fiends, long after the names of those who first found the hidden track from other worlds are lost to living lore, the trees of Cormanthor recall the steps of the first-comers, the delight of their voices raised in wonder at a wood already ancient when the world was young. Who has looked upon Myrionde the Fair since brother spilled brother's blood in the Crown Wars of eld? Sages wise in lore will tell you it was lost then, as Miyeritar was lost, as lives beyond counting were lost in that kinslaying. And who can gainsay them? For none now know where once it stood, if indeed it ever had any place outside of legendry and song. The green elves builded it, they say, as a shrine and place of reverence, upon the very spot where the first of elvenkind to walk Abeir-Toril came hither from otherwhere. And what are the green elves now but savages with painted skin who live without knowledge or craft, like beasts? Sages may know much, but none know all. Somewhere beneath Cormanthor's unforgetting trees it stood, and ere the doom could come upon it, Myrionde was hidden by the last deed of High Magic that green elves would do, assuring their solitude in a world grown mad, to unbuild their city stone by stone, to return it to forest as it was when first they came. They and those they name "wolf-friend" in the elven tongue dwell there still, dreaming their green dream in an exile of their own making. Well their magics have hidden them. But nothing lasts out forever the long ages of time. Realms have risen and realms have fallen, and twice has the god that is the Weave of magic perished. Much that was once whole is broken now. Much that was once strong has foundered. And in time Myth Myrionde shall be laid bare, and those whom it has long concealed shall stand revealed to their most bitter foes of old. For those who were sent below have returned, profaning the Elven Court with their unholy rites. And they know neither remorse nor pity for savages with painted skin and hornwood bows, and spears tipped with fireglass. Long the clanfathers and clanmothers gathered for counsel, seeking a path for their people, free under green leaves. Long they spoke, and in the end they knew that they had been too long out of the current of time, and too far removed from the affairs of the cousins whose company they forsook for shame of their vain wars. One would have to be sent to learn how stood affairs beyond the hidden valley, one who was young and able to learn new ways, but who knew already the value of old ways, and of songs from elder days. One of the blood of chieftains, who at need could boast a line as proud as any prince. Only let him not know just the place from whence he came lest, being taken, he betray them all. For who can withstand the torments of the black-hearted, the dhaerow, traitors returned in defiance of the decree of the high gods? Vangelor Treesinger, of the Clan of Ulf, indeed of the line of Ulf Far-Farer, the Two-Spirit, the Wolf-Friend, unbroken from father to daughter, from mother to son, down from the Dawn Age if the singers do not lie. He is young, and of good birth, and brought up from his cradle-days to take his place in the Grove of Song. And so indeed he has been sent, his mind mazed with spells of binding and hiding, following the omens and portents by which the Leaflord guides his children. He has not found himself unaided, even if those whose help he has had knew not why they aided him, save for portents of their own. In the House of the Harp, Focluchan, that is in Silverymoon near where old Eaerlann once held domain, he was taught the art of the pen and the book, an art his people had given up long since for songs shared from living voice to living ear. Courtesies he learned there toward those not of The People, dwarves and men and stranger folk. There for seven years he learned the long tale of time since his folk had closed out the world, and learned the uncouth tongue of these latter days, until the sign was given that he should turn once more toward home. Toward, but not homeward yet. For the traitorous black-hearts claim the forest still, and friends must be found for the children of the children of the firstcomers. And much is yet to be learned of the ways of men who have come to dwell by the eaves of Cormanthor. Be it a dozen years or be it a hundred, long seasons have still to green the branches with spring, and carpet the forest with autumn, before he is called back again. Then shall a way be chosen, if the gods smile, before the last ragged remnant of the old mythal has sunk to sullen sparks, and the eyes of strangers born far from its green shade shall look upon fair Myrionde once more. Timeline for Vangelor Ulf: 1278 DR the Year of Many Bones: Vangelor born in Myth Myrionde to Valeriagh Treesinger, a bard who claims direct descent from Ulf Far-Farer. He is dedicated on his naming day at the Grove of Song, and an oak is planted from an acorn of his father's birth-tree. 1318 DR the Year of the Tired Treant: Vangelor Ulf's birth-tree bears acorns for the first time. At midwinter, he celebrates his coming-of-age and joins the other young males coming of age that year as blood-brothers in a hunting pack, the tribe's continuation of its former tradition of the war-bands of ancient days. After his first kill, he plants a seedling from his birth-tree to confirm his status as an adult. 1358 DR the Year of Shadows: Time of Troubles. As Ao the Overgod banishes the dieties of Faerûn into mortal bodies, Ulf Far-Farer appears in Myth-Myrionde, having achieved demigod status through the ancestor reverence of the Myriondiyari wild elves. Death of Mystra further weakens the mythal. Appealed to for counsel, the Two-Spirit merely says that the vale of Myrionde had no spell-walls in his day, and that the oak does not die with its leaves in winter. He assures them that winter is coming, and that they should give thought to how they shall live when their sanctuary is gone. 1363 DR the Year of the Wyvern: Drow colonization of the Elven Court in Cormanthor revealed to seers of Myth Myrionde. With their mythal prophesied to fail, the clan elders determine to send an envoy forth to gather news and potential allies. Their choice falls on Vangelor Treesinger, the youngest member of the oldest clan-line. His mind fogged with spells of misdirection so that he cannot betray his people if taken, he is spell-led to Shadowdale. Storm Silverhand, at the prompting of Mystra, arranges with her sister, the Lady of Silverymoon, to have Vangelor instructed at the House of the Harp, the ancient bardic college of Focluchan. He is sent there forthwith via Portal. 1370 DR the Year of the Tankard: Vangelor completes the seven-year curriculum at Focluchan, and begins his travels which take him to Waterdeep, the Moonshaes and Candlekeep, where his collected translations, Songs of Cormanthor, gain him entry. 1373 DR the Year of Rogue Dragons: A sending from Myth Myrionde informs Vangelor that the oak planted at his coming-of-age has acorned, and he is bid to return to the Dalelands to bring his mission closer to home. He arrives in Harrowdale late in the year, before the Feast of the Moon, and begins seeking allies for his cause. 1374 DR the Year of the Lightning Storms: Rising tensions amongst followers of Shevarash against the presence of an Eilistraeean Ssri'Tel'Quessir granted haven in Nauth Norian prompt Vangelor to depart the region with his companion, Celor. Their travels take them to Ardeep Wood, where they part company. Vangelor returns to Candlekeep, but declines to undertake a novitiate at the great library. 1375 DR the Year of the Risen Elfkin: Vangelor visits the bardic college of New Ollamnh in Waterdeep, where tales of other wild elven enclaves lead him southward to Tethyr. In the Wealdeath forest he receives a dream that he interprets as an injunction to return to Cormanthor. With druidic assistance, he crosses Anauroch and enters the Border Forest on the Feast of the Moon, and begins his journey of return. (OOC) Information Time spent in Myth Drannor: Character created December, 2005 Playing Status: Active Regional Feats (Concept Related): Extra Music, Curse Song - trained from infancy in the loresong traditions of his people, Vangelor has a special aptitude for Bard Song. Current Character Level: *ding!* 13! Current Character Alignment: CG - Chaotic 13, Good 99 Perfect Alignment Title: n/a Category:PC